Question

Identify the wrong statement in the following:

• A. Chlorofluorocarbons are responsible for the depletion of the ozone layer.
• B. The greenhouse effect is responsible for global warming.
• C. The ozone layer does not permit infrared radiation from the sun to reach the earth.
• D. Acid rain is mostly because of oxides of nitrogen and sulphur.

Answer 1

The correct option is C

The ozone layer does not permit infrared radiation from the sun to reach the earth.

The explanation for the correct option:

Option C

Ozone layer:

• The ozone layer is mainly found in the lower portion of the earth’s atmosphere basically in the stratosphere region.
• It has the potential to absorb around 97-99% of the harmful ultraviolet radiations coming from the sun that can damage life on earth.

Therefore, option C is correct.

The explanation for the incorrect option:

Option A

Chlorofluorocarbons or CFCs:

• Chlorofluorocarbon is an organic compound that does not occur naturally.
• It is man-made gas. It contains carbon, chlorine, and fluorine, produced as a volatile derivative of methane, ethane, and propane.
• It is a colorless, odorless, and chemically non-reactive gas.
• CFC is also one of those gases involved in the greenhouse effect.
• Chlorofluorocarbons or CFCs are the main cause of ozone layer depletion.

Ozone layer depletion:

• Ozone layer depletion is the gradual thinning of the earth’s ozone layer in the upper atmosphere caused due to the release of chemical compounds containing gaseous bromine or chlorine from industries or other human activities.

Therefore, option A is incorrect.

Option B

Greenhouse effect:

• It is defined as the phenomenon in which the earth's atmosphere traps the heat from the sun and prevents it forms escaping it into outer space thereby leading to an increase in the temperature of the earth's surface.
• The gases in the earth's atmosphere that collects heat and light from the sun are called greenhouse gases.
• The greenhouse gases are carbon dioxide(${\mathrm{CO}}_2$), methane (${\mathrm{CH}}_4$), CFCs (chlorofluorocarbons), and water vapor.
• The greenhouse effect is responsible for global warming.

Therefore, option B is incorrect.

Option D

Acid rain:

• When fossil fuels are burnt, they discharge pollutants such as oxides of nitrogen and sulfur dioxide into the atmosphere.
• These oxides react with rainwater and come down with the rain, this is called acid rain.
• It is often called acid rain as this concept contains many types of acidic precipitation.
• Sulfur dioxide(${\mathrm{SO}}_2$) and nitrogen dioxide(${\mathrm{NO}}_2$) undergo oxidation, and then they react with water resulting in the formation of sulphuric acid (${\mathrm{H}}_2{\mathrm{SO}}_4$)and nitric acid (${\mathrm{HNO}}_3$) respectively.

The following reaction will clarify the acid formation reaction:

$$\begin{gathered} 2{\mathrm{SO}}_2\left(\mathrm{g}\right)+{\mathrm{O}}_2\left(\mathrm{g}\right)+2{\mathrm{H}}_2\mathrm{O}\left(\mathrm{l}\right)\to 2{\mathrm{H}}_2{\mathrm{SO}}_4\left(\mathrm{aq}\right) \\ 4{\mathrm{NO}}_2\left(\mathrm{g}\right)+{\mathrm{O}}_2\left(\mathrm{g}\right)+2{\mathrm{H}}_2\mathrm{O}\left(\mathrm{l}\right)\to 4{\mathrm{HNO}}_3\left(\mathrm{aq}\right) \end{gathered}$$

Therefore, option D is incorrect.